Conductor and Search Engine Watch found that 18 percent of marketers named both search engine algorithm changes and lack of budget as their top SEO concerns moving forward. Even as SEO becomes more valued at many companies as search marketing is recognized as a revenue driver, general marketing budgets still don’t include much room for search.
Frequently changing search engine algorithms require marketers to create sites that withstand adjustments. The algorithm challenge cited in the Conductor study is consistent with an earlier report from Econsultancy, which found 87 percent of marketers believe Google updates have impacted their search campaigns. There is no silver bullet to SEO success, but high-quality website content gives pages more depth and authority.
However, using high-quality content to power search visibility may be a problem for some given limited budget availability. Investing in content helps avoid problems with search, but not every company can afford the staff necessary to launch a strategy.
For some companies that want content, looking outside their organizations has driven success. Brafton recently highlight a report from IDG Enterprise that found 30 percent of B2B companies using content marketing will outsource their strategies. Finding a reliable partner can also help with some of the other search concerns named in the Conductor and SEW report. Fifteen percent of respondents said they aren’t as well informed about SEO as they should be, while the same amount pointed to staffing as a problem.
